Does the idea of having 400+ people invade your house during one afternoon make you cringe? Well, it’s all in a day’s work here in Rancho Santa Fe. The Open House at the Fairbanks Ranch fire station #3 on October 21st was a resounding success. People from all over the area converged on the station to finally get a glimpse of the inside of the building they slowly watched erected for nearly two years. Visitors were sent off to roam the station on a self-guided tour with a map and strategically placed firefighters ready to explain and answer any questions around every turn. Refreshments and pastries were on hand along with CPR instruction, fire prevention demonstrations, fire apparatus tours, and a display showing pictures and maps of the devastating 2007 Witch Creek Fire. Children visiting the station even had a chance to win prizes playing a Fire Safety Jeopardy game. This ended up to be a valuable community education lesson for Fairbanks residents. They learned, to the suprise of some, that firefighters work 24 hour shifts spending 56 plus hours a week away from their families; that we had to bring in our own food and share in the cooking and cleaning duties; how we put in countless training hours; and how paramedic assessment engines responded to medical aid calls first to assess, treat and stabilize patients until a transporting ambulance arrives. Hopefully the Fairbanks Ranch residents walked away with a fresh understanding of the Local 4349’s high level of service, dedication and sacrifice.